Our guide to the best events in and around Sussex this July
ART
Gaze, Glimpse - A Look at Landscape
Gallery57, 57 Tarrant Street, Arundel
Three painters, one textile artist, one mixed media artist and four ceramicists respond to the landscape to create an interesting mixed exhibition.
A British Summer - 1 July - 2 September
Green Tree Gallery, Borde Hill Garden, near Haywards Heath
Working in different media, Sussex artists Gill Copeland, Robert Eadie, Jo Hodder, Sophie Mutter and Julian Sutherland-Beatson have drawn on a myriad of influences to show us what a British summer means to them in this mixed exhibition. Green Tree Gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday. No garden entry fee required.
The Sporting Horse - 6 July - 19 August
Rountree Tryon Galleries, Market Square, Petworth
This exhibition brings together stylistically diverse artworks exploring the profound relationship between horse and human, and features oils, watercolours, drawings and sculpture dating from the 18th century to the present day. In Europe and beyond, this relationship facilitated the development of modern civilisation and industrialisation, with the result that the horse has eventually been liberated from manual labour, instead bred and trained increasingly for collaboration in leisure pursuits. The show celebrates this post-industrial horse: its glamour, versatility, energy, skill and playfulness.
Brunswick Town Art Fair - 9 July
Brunswick Square Gardens and The Regency Town House, Hove
11am-6pm. The Brunswick Town Art Fair returns for its sixth year this summer featuring more than 50 artists in the gardens and some very eclectic colourful work in the Regency Town House where Pop Art meets the South Downs. Admission free.
MUSIC AND THEATRE
Love Supreme Jazz Festival 2017 - 30 June - 2 July
Glynde Place, Glynde, Lewes
Corinne Bailey Rae, Kamasi Washington, Mica Paris, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Gregory Porter, The Jacksons, Robert Glasper and Laura Mvula are just some of the acts in the line-up for this year’s Love Supreme Jazz Festival. Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the festival has assembled an enviable line-up featuring more than 50 world-class acts performing across four stages.
Freddy Kempf (Piano) With The United Nations Orchestra - 1 July
The Dome, Brighton
7.30pm. A benefit concert for UNICEF’s war orphans appeal. For its UK debut concert, the Geneva-based United Nations Orchestra is joined by the celebrated British pianist Freddy Kempf for a performance of Mozart’s joyful Piano Concerto No 21. In the second half Vaughan Williams’ rapturous setting of three English folk songs is followed by his quirky and ingenious Tuba Concerto. Elgar’s poignant Nimrod from Enigma Variations and the wistful yet inspiring March No 4 and the great uplifting March No 1 bring the concert to a triumphal conclusion. Tickets: £11-£33.50, under 18s half price.
The Commercial Traveller - 2 July
Sussex Prairie Garden, Morlands Farm, Woodmancote
5.30pm-10.30pm. A play in the garden with the Rude Mechanicals – hilarity and rudeness abound with this talented theatrical company! Tickets: £16 adults, £15 seniors, £12 students, £9 children, £40 families (two adults and two children).
www.therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk
Tom Allen - 6 July
The Bell Inn, High Street, Ticehurst
8pm. Comedian Tom Allen is coming to The Bell as part of his sell-out national tour.
www.thebellinticehurst.com/whats-on
Priory Park Festival - 7-9 July
This live music and arts event is held annually as part of the Festival of Chichester. The diverse array of star names includes Tony Christie, S Club, Dodgy, Georgie Fame, Hugh Cornwell, Deborah Bonham and The Christians. Friday evening is steeped in jazz and blues, while Saturday features rock and pop, with a sprinkling of classical. Sunday is scheduled to be a popular family fun day with huge chart acts and some of the biggest hit songs from the last 50 years. Tickets: £25 a day, £75 for the weekend.
Norah Sande Award Piano Recitals 2017 - 8-9 July
Birley Centre, Eastbourne College, Carlisle Road, Eastbourne
8 July semi-finals from 9.30am; free entry.
9 July final from 2.30pm; £10 including tea/coffee.
Now in its 12th year, the internationally-renowned Norah Sande Award has been attracting exceptional entrants including several BBC Young Musician of the Year finalists and the two days of performances have become a popular annual date in the cultural calendar of the southern counties – a chance to hear some of the most exciting young adult pianists on the brink of their professional careers.
Petworth Festival - 12-29 July
Featuring world-class classical musicians including Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside, Natalie Clein and Cédric Tiberghien, comedic national treasures such as Angus Deayton’s Radio Active, Hal Cruttenden and the inimitable Rainer Hersch Orkestra, a pop-up exhibition from local schools supported by West Sussex Young Arts and outdoor family theatre in Bignor Park. Tickets: £6 adults and a limited amount of free tickets for 18s and under at some events.
Brighton’s Big Screen - 28 July–28 August
Brighton’s world famous beach will take centre stage this summer to screen an amazing line-up of blockbuster movies. A huge HD quality screen will play more than 90 sizzling films over 32 days including ‘La La Land’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Moana’, ‘Jaws’, ‘T2 (Trainspotting)’, ‘Logan’, and ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’.
www.brightonsbigscreen.com | www.bigbeachscreenevents.co.uk
WHAT’S ON AT THE THEATRE
• 4 July: Giovanni Pernice, White Rock Theatre, Hastings 01424 462288
• 4 July: Shappi Khorsandi and Tom Lucy, Komedia, Brighton 0845 293 8480
• 9 July: Jimmy Carr, The Dome, Brighton 01273 709709
• 10 July: WSO: Nicola Benedetti, Assembly Hall, Worthing 01903 206206
• 13 July: John Bishop: Winging It, The Hawth, Crawley 01293 553636
• 17-22 July: Shirley Valentine, Theatre Royal, Brighton 0844 871 7650
• 18 July: Rhythm of the Dance, Winter Garden, Eastbourne 01323 412000
• 19 July: Milton Jones is Nearly Out There, The Capitol, Horsham 01403 750220
• 23 July: Inua Ellams: An Evening with an Immigrant, Minerva Theatre, Chichester 01243 781312
Summer Opera Gala - 15 July
St Mary’s House, Bramber, West Sussex
The Summer Opera Gala is a wonderful evening of favourite operatic arias and songs from musical theatre performed in costume by the sparkling ensemble Diva Opera. The gardens of St Mary’s are open beforehand for picnics.
Olly Murs - 16 July
The 1st Central County Ground, Sussex County Cricket Club, Eaton Road, Hove
Olly Murs is performing in Hove as part of his huge UK summer tour. Tickets are priced at £39.50 plus booking fee (general admission) and £55 plus booking fee (Platinum Enclosure).
www.ticketmaster.co.uk/www.lhgtickets.com
Just For Laughs 3 - 20-22 July
Barn Theatre, Southwick
7.30pm. Southwick Players present the imaginatively titled Just for Laughs 3 – comedy at its best. With songs and sketches, with jokes old and new – nothing too saucy and nothing too blue. Suitable for 16 years plus.
OUT AND ABOUT
ABC Animal Sanctuary Summer Opening - 2 July
Juggs Lane, West Chiltington RH20 2JS
12.30pm-3.30pm. Meet all the animals at the sanctuary. Pet and groom the ponies and donkeys. Tea and homemade cakes available. Entry £3 per person. Accompanied children under 14 free. Free parking. Also open 3 September and 1 October.
Why not become a sanctuary champion or friend? Visit the website for more details.
Jaeger-Lecoultre Gold Cup
Cowdray Park Polo Club, Easebourne, Midhurst
The 2017 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship opens on 27 June with four weeks of thrilling high goal polo. Semi finals on Wednesday 19 July are the polo insider’s favourite day with two high-octane matches deciding who will get through to the final on Sunday 23 July. Fantastic picnic opportunities, a retail village, bars, food and a children’s mini funfair. Adult entry £20, under 12s free, free parking.
Wildlife Walk At Burton Mill Pond - 6 July
Sussex Wildlife Trust
10am-12.30pm. The flat 3km circular walk takes you through the woods, past ponds, bogs and the heaths of this beautiful nature reserve three miles south of Petworth. It is led by wildlife expert Michael Blencowe who will identify wildlife along the way. More than 1,658 different species have been recorded on this reserve including dragonflies, butterflies, and plants including orchids, birds and beetles. Please wear suitable footwear as it can be muddy if wet. All welcome. Meet at the car park next to Burton Mill (nearest postcode GU28 0JR). No need to book for this walk – donations please from non-members of Sussex Wildlife Trust. Contact telephone number on the day of the walk only is 07827 830891.
www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk
Arundel Museum Summer Fete - 8 July
Jubilee Gardens, Arundel
Noon-5 pm. Featuring music by The Alternatives and Bognor Brass Band, entertainment for children including face painting and fancy dress competition (Princes and Princesses), tombola, book stall, big raffle draw, barbecue, cream teas and cakes to keep hunger at bay.
Parham Garden Weekend 2017 - 8-9 July
Parham House and Gardens, Pulborough
10.30am to 5pm. Special guest speakers at the 24th annual garden weekend include Nick Bailey, Jinny Blom, Sarah Raven, Georgie Newberry and Marina Christopher alongside some of the country’s top head gardeners and garden journalists. Tickets £11, £10 seniors, £6 children under 16.
Brighton Kite Festival - 8-9 July
Stanmer Park, Brighton
11am-5pm. Brighton Kite Festival brings colour in all shapes and sizes to Stanmer Park. On display this year is a selection of large inflatable kites including the Brighton Kite Flyers’ 60-foot whale, plus a collection of spirit kites and other wonderful creations.
Pop-up Restaurant Cinema Nights
Lugashall, West Sussex
For one weekend a month over the summer, Little Lightning is setting up in Lurgashall, West Sussex for cosy and chic pop-up cinema events within a traditional Sussex barn. At just £19, each event includes a two-course set menu themed on the nationality of the film and a glass of sparkling wine on arrival. The emphasis is on informality so there is a continuous bar and informal seating throughout. The season runs from July to September and includes British, Australian, Italian and Greek themes, kicking off with The Thomas Crown Affair on 14 July with New York chicken parmagiana and baked cheesecake.
Graffham Festival 2017 - 15-22 July
Graffham, near Petworth
A celebration of food and drink produced or prepared in and around Sussex and Surrey. There are ten events over the eight days of the festival, including foraging, children’s cookery workshops, English wine tasting, the Fifteen Mile Food Fair and Tasting Menu Tour.
Weald & Downland Museum - Singleton, Chichester
16 July: Rare and Traditional Breeds Show 10am-4.30pm: featuring cattle, sheep, pigs and goats.
29-30 July: Through the Door Family Festival 10.30am-5pm: This exciting new family festival offers children and their families the opportunity to run wild through woodland trails, funfair rides, climbing wall, circus skills, art workshops.
The Longines Royal International Horse Show - 25-30 July
All England Jumping Course, Hickstead
The Longines Royal International Horse Show features the world’s best riders, the opportunity to see the British showjumping team competing on home turf, plus the chance to see thousands of top-class show horses and ponies being put through their paces. The show features showjumping, showing, carriage driving, scurry driving and arena eventing. It is the oldest horse show in Britain, first held in 1907, and has been hosted at Hickstead in West Sussex every year since 1992.
